FERNDALE –
Angie Potter and other dedicated volunteers stepped up last year to fill in the gap left by the city's loss of an animal control officer due to budget cuts. Her organization, Waggs and Wishes, has saved dozens of animals from abandonment and death, and placed many in loving homes.
However, as Oakland County gets closer to finalizing plans for offering free animal control services to cities, including Ferndale, the volunteers at Waggs and Wishes are asking for help in finding a new building for their volunteer animal shelter. If the city council votes to accept the county service, it would mean that Waggs and Wishes would have to operate independently from the city, and would not be able to use the city-owned building.
"What we really need is to find a building that can be donated or (one) with really low rent," Potter said. Currently Waggs and Wishes cares for animals in the city-owned shelter in the Department of Public Works yard at 521 E. Cambourne. Potter said there is no formal agreement with the city, though it lets the volunteers use the space for free and also pays for utilities. The animals' care has been provided through hundreds of volunteer hours and donations of food, supplies and money from people in the community.
"If we don't find a space, then the county will take all these animals and we will have to close down," Potter said.
"Our building is very tiny, as it was never meant to be a rescue, just used for holding dogs till their owners came forward or they were sent to the Humane Society," she said. "It's only around 700-800 square feet."
Currently the building can house up to 18 animals. Finding a new, bigger space is essential for Waggs and Wishes to carry on with their rescue work.
"We really want to stay in Ferndale," said Potter. "This is my home and everyone here has been really supportive. There are a lot of animal lovers here."
Potter said she has enough crates and volunteers to build kennels wherever they go. They can use either long-term or short-term space, and size is not an issue, although the more space they have, the more animals they can save.
When asked what her ideal new Waggs and Wishes home would be, Potter said, "We would love to have a bigger building that is more fit for a rescue. One with a bathroom, laundry room, office, room for kennels to be put up. Plus a fenced in outside so the dogs could go out and play, and don't forget the most important thing for a place to have, a TUB – some of these dogs that come in are pretty stinky!"
Anyone who can provide space to Waggs and Wishes can contact Potter at 734-658-1268. To find out more about Waggs and Wishes, or to donate to their building fund, go to http://www.waggsandwishes.org.
